After spending at least three days in a drainpipe, a cat dubbed Piper is doing much better now at an animal hospital in Findlay, Ohio. A resident heard the cat's cries, but "here, kitty" calls, canned tuna and even a cell phone app that meowed failed to draw him out. Eventually groundskeepers at a school cut through the pipe to reach the orange tomcat. Piper was muddy, emaciated, hypothermic and suffering from a broken leg, but he's on the mend and already several people have offered to adopt him.

Several cat lives go down the drain: After spending at least... Photo-5723233.77726 - GreenwichTime

Image 2 of 24

Cries and whiskers:

In Srinagar, India, Kashmiri Muslim women break down in tears as they watch a priest hold what is believed to be a hair from Prophet Muhammad's beard. The relic is displayed annually at Hazratbal shrine on Eid-e-Milad, the birth anniversary of the prophet.

An injured bat screams as a volunteer cuts a manja, a strong kite string coated with powdered glass or other abrasives, from its wing in Mumbai. During the Makar Sankranti festival, which celebrates the beginning of the harvest season, Indians all over the country engage in kite duels. Unfortunately the manja, used to cut the string of an opponent's fighter kite, often also injures birds and bats that get entangled.

An Orthodox priest holds a cross as riot policemen guard Parliament in Kiev during a rally of Ukrainian victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. At issue is the state budget for 2014, which does not provide financing of social programs for Chernobyl's veterans and invalids.

Despite demonstrating considerable hopping ability, a hare loses to a tortoise in a ski race at a resort in Sanmenxia, China. Pet owners could place their animals on skis or sleds, or guide the pet with a leash while skiing. "Because the rabbit loved jumping and didn't follow its owner's commands, it was overtaken by the tortoise," the China News Service reported.

Torch-bearing masked figures known as Kukeri march through the village of Batanovci, Bulgaria, in a traditional ritual to drive away evil spirits and promote a successful growing season. The costumes include bells tied around the waist to drive away demons and sickness.